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Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Monday became India's first active sportsperson to be sworn in as a member of parliament.

In a surprising move, the world's highest Test run scorer was nominated to the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, along with film personality Rekha and industrialist Anu Aga in April this year.

“In the last 22 years of my international career, cricket has given me so much,” said the 39-year-old batsman after taking oath in vice president Hamid Ansari's office.

“Today with the nomination, I am in a better position not only to help cricket but also other sports,” he added.

In March, Tendulkar, who contines to play test and one day matches for his country, became the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries. Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi invited Tendulkar to her residence to congratulate him on the historic feat.

Of the 250 members in the Rajya Sabha, 12 are nominated by the president for “special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as literature, science, art and social service.”

The soft-spoken cricketer has previously been considered for the Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian honour.